Staff Network Committee

Our committee acts on behalf of the members to lead the organisation and promotion of our activities. The Network is fundamentally community driven and all members are encouraged to pitch in and contribute to our activities at all levels.

Chairperson – Joel McKeever

Joel McKeever is currently the team lead for Communications, HR and Administration within the Academic Registry, with responsibility for (amongst other things) social media, website development and student/staff engagement. Joel has been with the AR since 2014, having previously worked with international student events and and services in the Global Relations Office.

Joel graduated from the School of English at Trinity, with a focus on queer theory and science fiction. He was previously the Auditor (Chairperson) of Q Soc, Trinity’s student LGBT Society and is a member of the Emerald Warriors, Ireland’s LGBT inclusive rugby club. Joel is an avid reader, aspiring baker and stubborn owner of two very patient cats.

Joel has a deep and abiding grá for the LGBTQ community in Dublin and particularly in Trinity College Dublin, which has a long history of creativity, trailblazing and grassroots communal action. His ambition for the Network is that it makes any and every LGBTQ employee feel engaged with their colleagues, part of the Trinity & LGBTQ community, and that their experiences are valued professionally and personally. He hopes that together, the Network can raise the standard of staff engagement and services (for adminstrative and academic staff), representation for LGBTQ people in the running of the university, and develop our involvement in national activism to equal that of any Trinity endeavour.

Chairperson (Vacant)

There is a vacancy for a co-chairperson of a different gender [in this case, not identifying as a cisgender male). This role would have joint responsibility for the overall running and representation of the Network – email us at tcdlgbtstaff@tcd.ie if you’re interested in getting involved!

Secretary – Eimear Leonard

Eimear joined Trinity College in June 2014 as a member of the Resourcing team in Human Resources and now works as HR Partner to the Corporate Services Division.

Eimear is particularly interested in politics, psychology & sociology. She currently serves as the Secretary to the TCD LGBT Staff Network, volunteers with the LGBT community & you can see her at all the usual marches. In her spare time, she most enjoys live music and thinking about going to the gym, but watching a good boxset instead. If you want to get her undivided attention, bring up RuPaul’s Drag Race or Sleater-Kinney!

Committee Members

Clair Battle

Clair is the Service Lead within the Academic Registry, Trinity’s central student services hub, with responsibility for the Service Desk and Communications, HR & Admin teams.

Clair has been working in Trinity for a little over a year, and has been in education and media for many years, with a background including both university and Montessori level.

She graduated with a BA in European Studies from University of Limerick and it was there she discovered the importance of networks for LGBTI people. While in UL she founded the student LGBTI Soc, “Out in UL”. From a membership of 3 in the dark ages of 1996 the society gave a safe space to network and honour the unique view and input of LGBTI students and staff. Clair is really looking forward to making the Trinity LGBT Staff Network a vibrant part of Trinity life.

Evan Blake

Evan joined TCD in the middle of 2014 and has been working in the School of Medicine ever since. With a strong background in Sports & Community Development, as a committee member Evan strives to build a platform of engagement and diversity through successful and meaningful planning and events. His goal is to see the profile of TCD’s LGBT Staff Network grow not just internally amongst our staff, but to resonate with external stakeholders with the aim to elevate us as a national leader in best practice for consultation, engagement and advocacy for those who associate themselves with the LGBT+ community within an community centred employee framework.

Evan loves the outdoors, swimming, volleyball and hanging with friends. He has come to love Dublin in the time that he have been living and working here, and is looking forward to discovering more as time goes on. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and ask!

Tom Brace

Tom is currently a Visiting Research Fellow in the School of History following a varied career across Ireland.From 1963 to 1968 employed as a factory labourer in Partician’s

Clothing Factory and From 1968 to 1989 he served in the Irish Army at the rank of Company Quartermaster Sergeant, including periods of service overseas with UNFICYP.
He left in 1989 after 21 year’s service to attend TCD as a mature student, graduating B.A. (Mod.) English/History. From 1993 to 2008 Tom worked as a Civil Servant in the Department of Finance, primarily employed in the EU Programmes Division with the grade of Assistant Principal. He returned to TCD in 2011 for a M.Phil in Modern History. Tom is a committee member of the LGBT Staff Network and assists with the planning and execution of our events, working with other university networks and meeting new members. His hobbies include cinema, theatre and hill-walking.

Webmaster – Aisling O’Mahony

Aisling joined Trinity in 2015 and is currently an Executive Officer in the School of Natural Sciences (Botany Dept.). She joined the Staff Network soon after launch and was elected to the Committee in January 2017. As well as general committee duties, she maintains the Network website and social media accounts.

She graduated from the University of Limerick with a BSc in Equine Science and worked in the horse racing industries of Ireland, Japan, and the UK before changing her career path.

Since joining the Network as a Committee member, Aisling hopes to engage with the TCD and wider LGBT community through diverse and meaningful events. Aisling loves travelling and getting lost in a good book, as well as visiting her native West Cork to enjoy horse riding, cycling, and generally exploring the great outdoors.

Committee Member (Vacant)

There is a vacancy for a committee member. Email us at tcdlgbtstaff@tcd.ie if you’re interested in getting involved!